During the year, our support for First Nations arts and culture helped to enable the world premiere of Wundig wer Wilura – the new Wesfarmers Arts musical theatre commission from award-winning songwriters and storytellers, Gina Williams AM and Guy Ghouse.

Wundig brings Noongar language, history and culture to the stage in an acclaimed follow-up to the duo’s first opera collaboration, Koolbardi wer Wardong commissioned by Wesfarmers Arts in 2020.

Six-time winners of the Indigenous Act of the Year at the West Australian Music Industry Awards, Williams and Ghouse use their music and performances to highlight the Noongar language of the southern corner of Western Australia.

Williams composed Wundig wer Wilura with collaborator Ghouse, in consultation with Elders on Ballardong Country. Through the opera, Williams wanted to tell a story she grew up with – one of a young man and young woman who are promised to other people but fall in love and decide to elope, causing a Shakespearean conflict between their family groups.

Wundig is a story of forbidden love and feuding families that has endured for thousands of years, passed down by generations of Ballardong Elders.

Opening in February at His Majesty’s Theatre as the centrepiece of the 2024 Perth Festival, Wundig starred an all-First Nations cast performing under the baton of viola player, composer and conductor Aaron Wyatt, a Noongar man from Western Australia recognised as the first Australian First Nations person to conduct a major Australian orchestra.

Wesfarmers is Principal Partner of West Australian Opera and a major partner of Perth Festival.